697. Grenada Issues Sheet Of 110 Stamps To Commemorate Deng Xiao Ping.

                                       

  The US-based philatelic agency, IGPC, has put out a sheet of 110 different stamps with the name of Grenada printed on them which commemorate the former leader of China, Deng Xiao Ping and the 15th anniversary of the return of Macao to Chinese sovereignty. The stamps depict different portraits of Deng with inscriptions in Chinese (the only inscriptions in English are "Grenada" and "Macau China") along with the flags of The People's Republic of China and Macau (but not of Grenada) and views of Macau and Tianenmen Square in Beijing. Each stamp is numbered 110-1 to 110-110. The total face value of the set is EC$132 (£34.06p). I do not know the date of issue of this bizarre item but the 15th anniversary of Macao's return to China was actually in 2014 so this sheet may actually date to as far back as then.

  In Blog 620 ("IGPC's China Syndrome") I mentioned the set of 15 stamps previously released with the name of Grenada printed on them which was described as a "Tribute to China" and which depicted soldiers, tanks and missiles involved in a large military parade in Beijing with a large Chinese flag flying over the entire scene. 

  At the same time a set of 5 stamps was also issued with Grenada's name printed on them which depicted World War II leaders including the former tyrant of China, Mao Zedong, as well as the murderous former leader of The USSR, Joseph Stalin.

  IGPC has a Beijing office to boost the sale of its philatelic products on the large Chinese market and this sheet appears to have originated from there as do the issues previously mentioned in Blog 620. The latest product looks as though it has entirely been produced for sale in China and not at all for use on mail in an English-speaking Caribbean island.

  What must the people of Grenada make of all this? If these stamps are actually being sold over Grenada post office counters for ordinary mail usage, which I doubt, what do they think of being sold postage stamps largely inscribed in Chinese, a language which I doubt to be widely spoken, read or written on the island? (I've visited Grenada twice and never heard any Chinese being spoken there by anyone other than Chinese tourists).

                                        

                                     

                                                 

 

                                        

 

   

  From the philatelic nightmare described above, to the ongoing horror show of British Post And Go stamps and labels.

  From 1 February 2016, the British Postal Museum and Archives will change its name to The Postal Museum. As part of this rebranding, the inscriptions which are printed on the Post and Go labels dispensed at the museum will be changed from the current "The B.P.M.A." to "The Postal Museum" along with a new logo.

  Thus the "Union Jack " labels, the Machin Head labels and the Heraldic lion labels will all be sold with the new inscription from 1 February 2016 (3 Collectors strips each of 6 different values)  and from 17 February 2016 the "Postal heritage vehicles" labels will also be sold with the added new inscription (another Collectors strip of 6 different values). Good luck with that lot!